breastplate

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

n. A piece of armor that covers the breast.

n. Judaism A square cloth set with 12 precious stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel, worn over the breast by ancient high priests.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. A piece of armor that covers the chest.

n. A piece of horse tack designed to prevent the saddle slipping backwards.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English

n. A plate of metal covering the breast as defensive armor.

n. A piece against which the workman presses his breast in operating a breast drill, or other similar tool.

n. A strap that runs across a horse's breast.

n. A part of the vestment of the high priest, worn upon the front of the ephod. It was a double piece of richly embroidered stuff, a span square, set with twelve precious stones, on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. See Ephod.

from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

n. A square ornament worn by the Jewish high priest, consisting of the same textile fabric as the ephod, and bearing twelve precious stones engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, set in the gold.

n. The armor for the front of the body, when made in one piece reaching from the waist to about the collar-bone.

n. A strap that runs across a horse's breast.

n. A plate or piece which receives the buttend of a boring-tool, and is held against the breast when the tool is in use. Also called conscience and palette.

n. The sternum or central piece on the lower side of the cephalothorax of a spider, between the bases of the legs.

'My breastplate is a breastplate of iron; I had it forged in mine own country, and all my soldiers are armed therewith; in plain language it is a hard heart, a heart as hard as iron, and as much past feeling as a stone; the which if you get, and keep, neither mercy shall win you, nor judgment fright you (Rev 9: 9).